The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced (19 page)

“Where are you going?” Anna asked, suddenly
afraid. She hadn’t even finished her champagne and he was
leaving?

Alex kissed her head. “I have to go to the
Schloss tonight to prepare for tomorrow.” He smiled and stroked her
cheek. “Don’t worry, Anna. Sebastian will stay with you. His room
is right next to yours.”

Alex took her hand and led her up to the
third floor and down a hallway, past several doors and around a
corner to a door at the end of a short hallway.

“I hope you like it, Anna. It’s only for the
one night.”

Alex opened the door to a beautiful room,
decorated in cream and pale green. The dark wood floor had several
large rugs covering it, and the cream-colored walls made the room
feel bright and cheery. Directly across from the door was a large
window covered in heavy pale green and cream brocade curtains.

“You’ll have a beautiful view in the
morning,” Alex said.

“It’s beautiful, Alex,” Anna said, turning to
him with a smile.

“I want to show you something before I
leave.”

Alex took her hand and led her back out into
the hallway to a small staircase a few feet away.

“Where are we going?” Anna asked as she
walked down the stairs in front of him. They walked down two
flights and through a narrow door that opened into a large, dark
paneled room.

“Oh!” she exclaimed as her eyes adjusted to
the dim light and she saw the rows and rows of books.

“This is our library. I thought you might
like to see it.”

An enormous fireplace took up a large portion
of one wall in the two-story room. Two wrought iron staircases led
to the upper balcony. Red velvet and dark wood furniture made up
several cozy reading areas.

Anna walked over to a table with a chair next
to it. She ran her fingers along the smooth surface, remembering
her vision. “This is where you were when I saw you in August, isn’t
it?”

“
Ja
. I spent a lot of time in that
chair the last few months.” He smiled. “And ever since I saw you, I
would find myself staring at the spot you had been standing.
Wishing you would come again.”

Alex leaned against the table, pulled Anna to
stand in front of him, and hugged her close. “I am so glad you are
here,
Schatzi
,” he said quietly, kissing her head.

“Me too.” Anna wrapped her arms around his
waist and leaned her head against his hard chest. His heartbeat was
soothing.

All too soon, Alex sighed. “I should take you
back to your room so you can rest. It will be a long day
tomorrow.”

“A good day, I hope.”

“I am sure it will be,
Schatzi
. We
are getting married. No day will ever be better than tomorrow.” He
kissed her hand, then stood and led her back upstairs to her
room.

Sebastian was waiting in the hallway. “Your
father is looking for you.”

*****

Alex frowned at the look of disapproval on
his friend’s face. “I was showing Anna the library.”

Anna smiled up at Alex with a sparkle in her
eye. She looked so happy and it thrilled him to know that he was
the one who had made her feel that way.

Alex took her small hand in his and walked
her to the bedroom door. “If you need anything, you may ask
Sebastian or there is a button on the nightstand you can press.
Brigitte will be attending to you, and she will come and get you
what you need.” He took both her hands in his. “Anna, please do not
call anyone at home until after we’re married. If you do, Devin is
likely to hear about it and...it wouldn’t be good. Do you
understand?”

Anna nodded solemnly. “I won't call anyone,
Alex. I promise.”

“Brigitte will bring your breakfast in the
morning and help you get ready. I believe my mother has many
dresses for you to choose from to wear tomorrow. She’s been
enjoying the secret wedding planning.”

“Okay. I hope I can sleep.” She yawned and
then quickly covered her mouth, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
“I’m still tired, though, so I might be able to.”

“The remote to the television should be on
the nightstand. Your bags should be in the closet. Call Brigitte if
you need anything.”

“You’re going to be at the Manor all
night?”

Alex nodded. It wouldn’t be a very pleasant
night for him. “I’ll be back in the morning and we’ll go into town
together with my family.” He leaned down and kissed her soft lips.
He looked forward to kissing her every day for the rest of his
life. “I love you,
Schatzi
.”

“I love you too, Alex,” she said as her
cheeks turned an even more endearing shade of pink.

Alex stared at her for a long moment. She
hadn’t said it when they had been downstairs. “You...love me, too?”
It was more than he’d expected. He had hoped that she would
eventually grow to love him, but hadn’t expected it so soon.

“Is that okay?” Her eyes filled with
apprehension.

“Anna, it is the best thing I have ever heard
or known.” He kissed her again, his heart soaring in his chest. “I
will see you in the morning.”

Anna nodded and walked into her room, closing
the door behind her.

Alex sighed in contentment. She was here at
last. Safe and sound in his family home. She would be safe here.
The hard part would be getting into the city undetected. But that’s
why his men were here, and others that he trusted implicitly. He
turned and walked back to Sebastian.

“Is the guard set?” he asked in German.

“Yes. Up on the roof and foot patrols
outside. I also sent a few out to the main road.”

“Do you think he suspects anything?” Alex’s
biggest fear was Devin finding out and stopping the wedding. If
Devin knew, Alex was certain that he would do anything to stop it.
Devin’s control over Anna would be minimized once she and Alex were
married.

“I honestly don’t know, Alex. Her anger and
hostility at coming was a good thing, though. She begged Devin not
to make her go, so he may assume that she’s still feeling that
way.” Sebastian frowned. “Your kiss at the airport wasn’t the
wisest of moves, though.”

“I couldn’t help it,” Alex smiled in spite of
himself. “You try not kissing her,” he chuckled.

“I’m trying to keep my mind in a fatherly
disposition,” Sebastian said wryly. “It is difficult. She’s very
desirable.”

Alex looked back at the closed door. “She is.
Perhaps it’s a good thing that I’ll be at the Schloss tonight.”

Sebastian laughed. “There are multiple
reasons why a groom spends the night at the Manor before his
wedding. Temptation is one of them.”

“Gretchen hasn’t been opening her mouth, has
she? Or Liesl?”

“Surprisingly, they’ve been rather
cooperative. Even Gretchen. Liesl may listen to Gretchen about
certain things, but she’s still your sister and loves you.
Gretchen’s barely left the house since the baby was born and she
hasn’t said anything on any calls that I know of. She’s jealous and
bitter, but she’s behaving.”

“Good.”

“You need to go to your father. I will take
care of Anna.”

Alex looked longingly at the door Anna had
disappeared through minutes before.

Sebastian laughed and pushed Alex away. “Go.
Your father is in the sitting room waiting for you.”

Alex turned and made his way back down to the
sitting room. His father stared out the window into the dark night.
Greta and his mother were nowhere to be seen.

Gretchen sat on the couch nursing Otto. She
gave him a sweet smile as he walked by. “She’s very young, Alex.
How old is she?”

“Twenty.”

“Eight years is quite an age difference.”

“Anna is more mature than most
thirty-year-olds,” Kurt said.

“And you would know?” Gretchen snapped.

Kurt gave her a wicked smiled. “Do you really
want me to answer that question, wife?”

Liesl narrowed her eyes at Kurt. “You’re
mean, Kurt.”

“I was just offering her a choice,” Kurt said
innocently.

“Why is the house guarded so carefully,
Alex?” Gretchen asked in a way that made Alex suspicious. “Are you
afraid someone will come and steal that girl away from you?”

Alex narrowed his eyes at Gretchen. “If
anything happens to Anna overnight, I will find out who is
responsible and tear them apart, limb from limb,” he growled.

Gretchen’s eyes widened. “I’ve never heard
you speak in such a way.” Her tone was light and she laughed, but
he could see the fright in her eyes.

“I will do anything to keep Anna safe and
happy. You would do well to keep that in mind, Gretchen.”

“Alex, that’s enough,” his father said
softly, walking up next to him. “You needn’t pick a fight out of
your stress.”

Alex took a deep breath.

“It’s almost over,” Vati said calmly. “She
will be safe in less than twelve hours.”

Alex nodded to himself. “Yes, Vati. I
know.”

“Are you ready?”

Alex nodded and followed his father out of
the room.

Alex walked into the Schloss less than an
hour later. He was thankful that he was marrying the right way this
time, but was apprehensive about the marriage piercings. Whoever
came up with the idea that it was a good thing to stick a bunch of
metal balls under the skin of a guy’s cock was insane. He wondered
if it really made a difference. Logically, he supposed it would,
but he still didn’t like the idea.

He sighed. But he was too old not to have
them. An Elder-Son was supposed to be married in his early
twenties. His father refusing to let him have them when he married
Mina had been humiliating, but Alex understood now. Poor Mina. He
should have never married her. She deserved better than he’d been
able to give her. They had never connected on the level that he
connected with Anna.

He didn’t know why he’d felt a connection to
Anna until a few months ago when Vati had told him about the
conversation he’d had with Anna’s father before he “died.”

Trevor had gone against every Immortal and
Brotherhood rule to come to Wilhelm with a desperate plea to help
his eleven-year-old daughter. Trevor had feared that the Elder of
the city he lived in, which they now knew was San Francisco, would
try and take Anna away from him. He had asked Wilhelm for
permission to tie his daughter’s heart to Alex’s.

“I give my daughter to your son, Elder,”
Trevor had said as he stood over Alex’s sleeping form. “Their
hearts are tied, though not yet bound. He will know her when he
sees her. I cannot offer more information than this. If you know
too much, the others will grow suspicious and she will be in even
more danger.” He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them
again. “I must go. Use discretion when telling your son what I have
told you.”

Alex and Anna were meant to be together. Her
father had given her to Alex, and Alex had failed them both. He was
determined to be everything Anna wanted and needed. He would not
fail her again.

“Vati, why are we going down here?” Alex
asked as they walked down the steps into the
Dirne’s
living area. He had no desire to be with anyone except Anna.

“You must choose which women will help you
tonight.”

“Help me?”

“To arouse you.”

“Vati, I don’t want to have sex with anyone
other than Anna.”

Vati smiled. “I appreciate that, Alex. I’m
glad. Don’t worry. You’re not having sex. You cannot climax. The
Dirne’s job is to arouse you. To...make you ready for Anna
tomorrow.”

Alex looked at him warily. “I’m going to be
teased all night?”

“Not all night. And, you need to be as
aroused as you possibly can be before you are pierced.”

Alex groaned. “Will I be able to have sex
tomorrow?”

Vati laughed. “Alex, this has been done for
hundreds of years and I’m not aware of any man not being able to
consummate his marriage the next day.” He put his hand on Alex’s
shoulder. “I had the same thoughts when I went through this. It
will be all right, I promise. Now, choose.”

Alex looked around the room at women who
looked at him with seductive smiles. “Is it better to choose ones
who remind me of Anna, or who are the exact opposite?”

“Choose someone who you are attracted to. It
will go better.”

Alex sighed and continued looking around. He
only wanted Anna. But the more attracted he was to the girl, the
faster it would go...hopefully. He finally settled on a blonde
named Lea, and a brunette named Emily. They had a sweetness about
them that reminded him of his beloved. He had briefly considered a
redhead, but it reminded him too much of Kirsty.

The Dirne followed behind Vati and Alex to
his bedroom upstairs. Vati gave the girls instructions, to arouse
him, but not allow him to orgasm, and then he left, saying he would
be back later.

Lea began to unbutton his shirt while Emily
kissed him. They ooh-ed and ahh-ed as they undressed him, then
removed their short dresses.

Their breasts were round and full, their
pussies bare. Lea knelt between his legs and took his cock into her
pink mouth, sucking and stroking him and making him groan. Emily
moved back up to his mouth and kissed him, stroking his chest.

Alex kissed her back, reaching for her
breasts and caressing the firm globes. Emily moaned as he pulled on
her nipples and then took one into his mouth. His fingers trailed
down to her pussy and he slid his finger inside her wet folds. She
gasped as he began thrusting in and out of her.

Lea pulled on his balls and then sucked one
into her mouth. “Oh, God....” he groaned.

She stroked him as she sucked and he could
feel himself throbbing. He knew he couldn’t come, but he wanted
release. It had been a while since he’d had sex. He had been so
busy it hadn’t really crossed his mind all that much. When he
needed release, he came to the Schloss and had one of the girls
give him a blowjob. But having his fingers inside a woman’s body
made him realize how much he’d missed it.